About

Paleo Pals ™ - Dusty the Diplocaulus

$17,179

pledged of $15,200 goal

166

backers

Dusty is shocked that so many people love him!

Hello folks! We are back again with our newest plush, Dusty the Diplocaulus magnicornis!

Paleo Pals™ are long overdue astonishing ancient animals, made for every aspiring scientist, both young and old. These huggable 20-inch prehistoric creatures are lovingly designed with data from original fossils, gathered from painstaking research, and delivered to you as a cuddly plush toy.

Each animal represents an important, yet oddball, species in the rock record that has been overlooked by pop culture. These plush toys exemplify educational play while maintaining a high degree of scientific accuracy, and most importantly FUN! Paleo Pals™ are great for classrooms, rock hounds, and budding paleontologists alike!

Dusty the Diplocaulus is 20" long and 9 1/2" wide

Toy is intended for individuals ages 4 +

Why Do Peculiar Fossils Matter?

Dinosaurs have a special place in the hearts of every five-year-old; inspiring imagination, awe, and wonder. But these perceived “dragons” of the past are so poorly represented in Hollywood blockbusters, that they are portrayed as something they are not. Due to the “monster image” that is deeply ingrained in our culture, it is clear that public understanding of these animals is fundamentally stained. It is time to introduce the world to the remarkable science of PALEONTOLOGY!

Where better to start than by encouraging science education with amazing unheard-of fossil creatures?

Despite the mighty T-Rex’s monopoly in our collective thoughts, Earth’s prehistory is grander and weirder than anything we could imagine. There were monstrosities in the Cambrian Period so odd that they looked like they came from an alien planet! In an age before the dinosaurs, there were beasts so bizarre, that it is hard to believe they were actually related to you and I! This is why Paleo Pals™ showcases these amazing creatures, to share the complete and wonderful story of Earth’s history.

Hi! I am Dusty the Diplocaulus, your new Permian Paleo Pal™!

Diplocaulus magnicornis: identified by American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope in the red beds of Texas, in 1882. The first example of the genus was found in Danville, Illinois several years earlier, in 1877. Living mainly in the Permian period, 285 million years ago, this odd creature belonged to a group of early Tetrapods (land vertebrates) called the lepospondyls. Scientists are still unsure if lepospondyls should be considered amphibians or their own unique group of life. Believed to live on the bottom of ponds, it would burrow into the mud when the water disappeared, and resurface the next season. With its boomerang head, tiny legs, and pancake-shaped body, this one-of-a-kind creature is arguably one of the strangest animals in prehistory.

Why Do We Need $15,200?

Professionally manufacturing our delightful plush toys takes up the bulk of our funding needs. Also, it is important that our toys meet CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008) testing regulations to ensure safety and quality, making this a vital element of our campaign.

World-renowned paleontologist Dr. Robert T. Bakker donated a great deal of his valuable time as a consultant and endorser of Paleo Pals™. His contributions include providing academic material to aid in the accuracy of our plush toys and professional critiques of the anatomy of our fluffy friends. We are honored to have the help of such a distinguished scientist in our aim to educate the world about these amazing ancient animals.

We would like to thank Matthew T. Mossbrucker, Curator of the Morrison Natural History Museum and expert on all things Jurassic, for the multitudes of educational resources he provided to our product innovation, and for his unwavering moral support.

We would also like to thank the Tally family, owners of the Dinosaur Hotel (Best Western Denver Southwest), for their marketing advice, networking connections, and a mutual passion for sharing the natural world with the public.

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“I aspired to create Paleo Pals™ because there is a clear informational gap in science education. Prehistoric biology is rarely taught in schools, and even if it is, there is a brief focus on dinosaurs exclusively. As a museum worker, some of my favorite subjects are unusual creatures from prehistory. I thought that if there was some way to bring these remarkable animals to the public eye, this effort could inspire a new generation of paleontologists. What better way than making huggable life restorations of these astonishing creatures! By encouraging educational play, Paleo Pals™ facilitates learning and critical thinking skills for all ages.”

Risks and challenges

This is our second time presenting our cute prehistoric beasties to the public! It has been an exciting ride and we have learned a lot after the successful launch of our first plush, Andy the Anomalocaris!

Now, let’s talk logistics...

1) SHIPPING - For our second project, we are adjusting our entire budget. When we funded Andy the Anomalocaris, we were originally informed that Kickstarter accounted for shipping as a separate expense from the funding goal. This turned out not to be the case, and Paleo Pals™ undershot the shipping cost. Luckily for us, our amazing backers funded above our original goal and we were able to account for the discrepancy.

2) TIMELINE - There was some lack of clarity on the timeline for the production of our toys. This time, we are adjusting Dusty’s arrival date to give a more accurate schedule for production and shipping.

3) TAXES - With the issue regarding the uncalculated shipping cost, some of the extra shipping expenses cut into our tax pillow from our original budget. This time around, with a higher funding goal, this should account for all of our taxation expenses.

With more experience, we have significantly improved our efficiency, customer satisfaction, and our standing record of success!

OUR BUSINESS GOALS

Our current mission is to make Paleo Pals™ a self-sustaining venture! We want to produce a wide variety of fabulous toys and products for all of you. We currently make no profit from our toys; everything you fund goes directly to the growth and development of Paleo Pals™ and continued scientific play.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support of Paleo Pals™! And we want to thank all of your for being the biggest part of bringing our vision to life!

Kickstarter is not a store.

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DIMETRODON DISCOVERER

• HISTORIC PALEONTOLOGY TOUR (Morrison, CO) •

- Tour Lead by the Artist (Chenoa Ellinghaus)
- Tour Includes a Party of Up to 6
- Does Not Include Travel and Rental Expenses
- Tour Available Within 24 Months After Delivery
- Tour is a Hike and Involves Physical Activity

DAZZLING DIPLOCAULUS

- Tour Lead by the Artist (Chenoa Ellinghaus)
- Tour Includes a Party of Up to 6
- Does Not Include Travel and Rental Expenses
- Tour Available Within 24 Months After Delivery
- Tour is a Hike and Involves Physical Activity